It’s been a successful week for campaigners as Heathrow and Gatwick airports announce that the new flight path trials have been put on hold following “serious concerns” by local communities.
Gatwick Airport were the first to announce the news, having approached NATS and suggested that the trials are put on hold and further consultation is conducted with GATCOM (Gatwick Airport Consultative Committee) and NATMAG (Noise and Track Monitoring Advisory Group) which includes representatives from the Department of Transport, Gatwick Airport, local authorities, airlines and NATS. Gatwick advised that more time is needed to consider options, including more respite for residents that are affected – think residents would rather there was no new flight path!
A couple of days later, Heathrow Airport also announced that following unprecedented noise complaints, their flight path trials will end in November, not January as originally planned – why they can’t stop them now as Gatwick Airport have done is a mystery! Management at Heathrow went on to say that a second set of airspace trials that were due to start this month had also been postponed. Residents in the local community to Heathrow, and particularly Bracknell who were severely affected, were branded an “omnishambles” whilst Cllr Marc Brunel-Walker who looks after economic development in the area, went further by slamming Heathrow for failing to consult the borough when trials were started last month!
The problem is that the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) requires changes to local airspace are implemented in accordance with their Future Airspace Strategy. CAA’s requirements are that all airports have to make changes to modernise airspace by 2020 – it’s something that airports have to adhere to, hence the changes to flight paths and the subsequent trials. And with the ever-increasing level of air traffic – which is why new runways are needed – something has to be done to better manage our airspace more effectively and efficiently.
However, it is good that NATS, CAA and the airports are listening to local communities and are prepared to go back to the ‘drawing board’ to further assess and consult of better ways to manage the problem. No doubt more trials will happen in the future, but let’s hope they are far less disruptive and noise intrusive!